Saint Joseph's College senior quarterback Billy VandeMerkt , University of Indianapolis senior linebacker Todd Hacker, and Truman State University senior return specialist Tremaine Millender have earned the first weekly awards of the Great Lakes Valley Conference football season.  VandeMerkt has been named GLVC Offensive Player of the Week honors, Hacker earns Defensive Player of the Week, and Millender takes home Special Teams Player of the Week accolades.

VandeMerkt, a native of Riverside, Ill., started the 2013 season off the same way he did in 2012.  After leading Saint Joseph's to a come-from-behind victory over Valparaiso last year, which earned him GLVC Offensive Player of the Week honors, VandeMerkt duplicated the feat Saturday after driving the Pumas into position for the game-winning field goal and the 34-31 victory.  The Saint Joseph's slinger hit seven different receivers for 404 yards on 28-of-38 (.737) passing, with four touchdowns, including a 76-yard scoring toss to Alphonso Hines.  VandeMerkt is the lone quarterback in the GLVC's brief two-year history to throw for more than 400 yards in a game, having also eclipsed the mark last year with 449 yards against William Jewell.  In addition to his passing, VandeMerkt also rushed for 35 yards to amass 439 total yards on the day – the fourth-most in GLVC history.  This is the third career weekly honor for VandeMerkt, as he was also recognized last year on Sept. 3 and Oct. 22 as the league's Offensive Player of the Week.